Letter: Check Out the Quilt Show

I got a kick out of seeing that the Upper Valley has joined the trendier side of the traditional arts field by covering one of the apple trees in Colburn Park with yarn. And Valley News staff writer Liz Sauchelli’s story about finding a social life through knitting (“Stitching a Community,” April 8) prompted me to tell everyone about another artisanal opportunity for socialization.

If you liked the yarn bombing, then I think you’ll love the quilt show that the Northern Lights Quilt Guild has coming up the weekend of April 20 and 21 at the Richmond Middle School in Hanover. At 125 members and counting, the guild is the largest quilt guild in our area and counts numerous award-winning quilters among its members.

When I’m talking about quilting, I’m not talking about tired squares of dull fabric sewn together in a blanket. I’m talking about art, color, excitement and rich imagination.

Nearly 22 million people quilt in this country. And they spend a combined total of $3 billion annually on wild, colorful fabric, glittering thread and classes taught by international stars in the quilting universe.

In other words, we aren’t talking your grannie’s nine-patch here.

April is the month when our local color scheme switches from oh-so-drab to oh-so-green. Get a jump on your need for a color fix by scoping out the artistry, color, talent and skill of the members of the Northern Lights Quilt Guild Show this weekend. You can find all the details at www.NorthernLightsQuiltGuild.com.

Lebanon Spring has come to the Lebanon Green. That’s where a group of more than 20 people gathered yesterday morning to attach bright knitted rectangles onto a crab apple tree in recognition of the AVA Gallery and Art Center’s 40th anniversary. They started arriving around 11, many decked out in knit hats, scarves and gloves (handmade of course) to guard …

To the Editor: This is in reference to Sonja Hakala’s April 19 letter, “Check Out the Quilt Show.” I am an 80-year-old mother of two daughters who love quilting and who do beautiful work. I was never interested, except as a spectator. As one who didn’t like Hakala’s disparaging references to “grannie’s nine-patch” or “tired squares of dull fabric sewn …